Chapter 13: a new start
A few weeks after the end of the war, Flute showed signs of homesickness. They all understood her situation, this wasn’t her real home and she missed her mother and friends, even she enjoyed playing with her sister and father. It pained him and Sato to see her so sad.
“You miss them, don’t you?” James and Sato along with Harper and Victoria sat down next to her as they watched the beautiful sunset.
Flute let out a sigh. “Yes. I always watched a sunset or a sunrise with mommy and my friends. They’re so peaceful.”
The girl wrapped her arm around the filly. “I know how hard it is. But don’t give up hope. You have to believe that they will find you. If it’s not too much to ask, how are your friends in Equestria?” Victoria asked curious.
Tootsie gave her a weak smile. “The best friends I could ask for. My friends are Dinky Hooves, Ruby Pinch, Noi, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom. Dinky, Ruby and Sweetie Belle are unicorns like me, Apple Bloom and Noi are earth ponies and Scootaloo is a Pegasus. Dinky is the daughter of Derpy Hooves, the Mailpony of Ponyville and famous for her muffins.”
The former unicorn remembered her. A bit clumsy at times but a kind pony.
“Ruby is the daughter of Berry who owns a bar in Ponyville.” Heart remembered her too. “I don’t know who Noi’s parents are, but I know she’s the sister of Carrot Top.”
Yep, I remember her too.
“Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom are the sisters of the bears of the Elements of Harmony, Scootaloo is not related but like a sister for the Element of Loyalty.” James never knew of that, as the incident happened before Nightmare Moon returned.
“Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom founded the Cutie Mark Crusaders, a club that goal is to help others get their Cutie Mark. They invited me, Dinky, Noi and Ruby. Of course we accepted. I don’t have my Cutie Mark yet, or have Dinky, Noi and Ruby. We don’t care about that much.”
“Interesting. Think I could join too?”
“I’m sure of that. That makes me wonder, daddy, what happened to your Cutie Mark and Magic when you became a human? And if you go back to Equestria, would you be a pony again?” The filly asked her father. He thought for a moment.
“Well, I don’t know if I would be a pony again. As for my magic, it works passive. It gives me better reflexes, a sixth sense so to speak. It also allows me to feel when another magic user is near, that’s why I was able to know you’re my daughter, even if I never saw you before. Your magic signature is similar to mine. My eyes switched to the color of a human as you already know, my coat became my clothes, as I was wearing dark blue clothing when I first woke up. My Cutie Mark, well…” He rolled his sleeve up. His Cutie Mark looked like a tattoo on his arms. “But strangely, it also appears Sewn into whatever clothes I’m wearing. But except my wife and daughter, nobody noticed it.”
“T-that’s amazing!” Flute was speechless.
“I know. It’s getting late. You should catch some sleep.”
Both children yawned. “Yes, daddy.”
As they brushed their teeth, James said to Sato, “This is thanks to you, Sato. Thanks to you, I found someone I thought I had lost.”
“I know.” He smiled, happy that he helped a family and headed for the guest room.
In the morning, they heard a knock on the door. James opened. At the door step stood someone he never thought would see ever again. Princess Celestia and Lyra. His special somepony appeared to be nervous, but not excited.
“Sorry to bother you sir, but we’re looking for unicorn foal, is she here?”
The man blinked to make sure it wasn’t his imagination. They didn’t vanish. “Yes, Tootsie Flute is here. You can call me James.”
As he stepped aside to let them him, Sweetie Drops was behind them, followed by 6 fillies which he assumed were his daughter’s friends.
James entered the living room first. “It’s for you, Tootsie.”
The foal was confused until it saw the mint-green unicorn. “MAMA!” She ran into Lyra for a hug.
“My little Flute, I thought I had lost you.” Lyra let out a tear of joy. “And your friends missed you too.” The foals did a group hug.
“We’re so happy to see you again!” Dinky exclaimed.
“Me too, Dinky.”
James, Sato, Harper and Victoria smiled at the happy sight. Only now they noticed that Princess Luna was here too.
“Lyra, you haven’t changed a bit, you still look like I remember you.”
She was puzzled and blinked. “How do you know me? Wait…Helping Heart?”
“Yes it’s me. And these are Sato, my wife Harper and our daughter Victoria.” He explained what happened years ago after the incident.
The unicorn let out a tear of joy. “I’m touched that you’re still remembering me. But how could this happen?”
Luna spoke up, “I think I have the answer. Teleport magic has a fail-safe mechanism when a lifeform gets teleported. First, it leaves a trail that allows other magic uses to track the teleported lifeform. We used this to search Tootsie Flute but it took some time. But back then when this happened to you Heart, This was still at the trial stage, only after my return, it could be mastered. Second, in case a teleport goes wrong, the same safe-safe mechanism teleports the teleported life form to the nearest civilization, which are the humans. That’s also why you became are human, as at the time, it also was at trial stage.”
“Interesting. But Sato was the one who found and took care of her. He can explain it better than I ever could.”
“Yes, I can, but there are some things, James and Tootsie can better explain that I. can.”
The foal trembled. “What’s wrong?” Ruby asked worried.
“T-there are some things you shouldn’t see.”
“Tootsie, we do whatever we can to help you.” Noi assured her.
“And we crusaders help each other!” Sweetie Belle added.
“Let us try something.” The horns of the Alicorns touched the heads of Flute and Sato. Everything went white.
They found themselves in a forest, transparent. “Where are we?” Scootaloo looked around as she heard a voice.
“I know the Americans want to free the capital but wouldn’t it be better if we were AT the capital instead near it?” They all saw how Sato and his friend walked by.
Then they all saw everything, how the imperial soldiers found Tootsie, Iwo Jima, how she was with the US soldiers, spent time with her father, even the showdown on Okinawa and the aftermath.
After it was over, the foals were shocked but Celestia and Luna comforted them by putting one wing over them.
“Oh Tootsie, I had almost lost you!” Lyra hugged her child.
“Honey, she can’t breathe.” Her husband informed her.
Lyra let go. “Sorry, I’m just so glad to see you again.”
“So, what now?” Sato asked, wondering what would happen now.
“I think, given that a long separated family would reunite, you should come with us to Equestria. Start a new life here.” Celestia suggested with a warm smile.
“But sister, you can’t be serious!” Luna protested.
“Luna, Lyra and Helping Heart can finally be together again. I don’t want to break this family apart again. And Sato here, has lost everything he used to love. And after all you did to keep our subject safe, you deserve a second chance.”
“I’m honored.” The Japanese bowed.
“C-could I be a crusader like you?” Victoria asked a little bit nervous.
“Sure thing!” Apple Bloom smiled at the young girl.
Celestia’s and Luna’s horn glowed and they vanished in a white light.
They found themselves in Lyra’s home, Dry Ice waited for them. He looked like he regretted everything. “T-Tootsie Flute, I’m so sorry. I-I…never wanted this to happen! I lost control over my emotions!”
What he didn’t expect was that she hugged him. “It’s all right, I forgive you. Besides, you helped me finding a lost family member.” She smiled at her father. “And I think that should be celebrated!” She exclaimed happy.
2 months later
Sato, Heart, Harper and Victoria enjoyed their new life to the fullest. They lived together with Lyra and Sweetie Drops. Of course, they said a final goodbye to Polonsky, Miller and Joe, but neither of them would ever forget the cute unicorn filly.
Sato was often making music together with Lyra and James. The unicorn was overjoyed to have her husband again. She didn’t mind that he was married or had a daughter, in fact, she was happy for him. He was able to live the dream she never could live with him, but now she could. Lyra enjoyed Sato’s and Victoria’s company.
James worked in the hospital again. He became a good friend of Doctor Stable, the other hospital personnel that knew him before was happy to see him again. He stayed human but that didn’t bother him. With his hands, he was able to do medical tasks that would be very difficult with magic or hooves. Sometimes, they called him by his old name.
Harper often helped on the farm of the Apple Family out and helped Bon-Bon with her sweets.
Victoria became a good friend of her sister’s friends and a member of the CMC. She was also in school with them.
The human adults talked with their roommates in the living room, as Flute and Victoria came home. “Mommy, Daddy, Uncle, we’re home!” they called out.
“Welcome back. How was school?” Sato asked happy.
“Great! We go with our friends to Sugarcube Corner!” They said and left, singing happy. The adults watched after them until they were out of sight.
The former pony turned the radio on. “May I have this dance?” He asked the mint-green mare.
“Of course.” They danced together with Sato, Victoria and Sweetie Drops.
For Sato, this was his personal victory. A victory of honor. He knew the post years would be hard for Japan, but a new country would rise from the country of the rising sun someday.
But for him was nothing more important to keep his honor. And life in Equestria was honorable for him. He had lost his friends, but they died with honor for Flute’s protection and were now in a better place. He would also live the little unicorn with all his heart.
And as long as she was happy, his honor would be maintained.